Harnett County gun range plan defeated

A land use permit for a proposed gun range in Harnett County was shot down by the Board of Adjustments Thursday evening.

Members of the board said the pistol and rifle range's location on a 53-acre site, off N.C. Highway 87 near the Pineview community, was too close to neighbors and a planned neighborhood on an adjacent property.

Developers say the firing range would have been built and operated by stringent NRA guidelines.

Before the decision was made, residents near the proposed site said their biggest concerns were safety and the sounds of gunfire.

"A gunshot is a gunshot," said Anita Garcia. "You can hear them from a mile away. What do you think it will be like for my 5 year old, and my 7 year old hearing that much firing all the time?"

"This is the most insane propositions I have ever seen in my 59-1/2 years. If you want to put a rifle range of this magnitude, go out and buy 500 acres tract of timber land and get in the middle of it," said Lee Underwood.

"It is not compatible within this residential neighborhood," said Doris Marks. "There is nothing compatible about it.

It was a unanimous decision by the board. They cited property values and other reasons for denying the permit.